Furnace for reducing ores.



No. 638,099. Patented Nov. 28, I899.- L. cunnEAi FURNACE FOR mznu'cmsORES.

(Application filed Jan. 13, 1899.)

(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet l.

iii' a 6 WITNESSES: ,1 3 INVENITOR mg cums FEYERS nu. PHOTO-LITHQ,WASHINGTON. o. c

Patented Nov. 28, I899.

L. COBREA. FURNACE FOR REDUCING OBES.

(Application filed Jan. 13. 1899.)

4 Shaets$haet 2.

(No Model.)

INVENTOR -BY Z S ATTORNEY WITNESSES:

No. 638,099. Patented Nov. 28, I899. L. GDRHEA. FURNACE FOR nzoucmaomzs.

(Application filed Jan. 13, 1899.) (No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 3v R Y ELm N R mg M a f Y AAAE No- 638,099. Patented Nov. 28, I899.

L. UURREA' FURNACE FOR REDUCING ORES.

(Application filed m. 13, 1899.)

4 Sheets-8heet 4.

(No Model.)

II I E-I WITNESSES: INVENTOR BY 7 ATTORNEY) Game/17am NITED STATESPATENT FFICE- FURNACE FOR REDUCING ORES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 638,099, dated November28, 1899. Application filed January 13, 1899. Serial No. 702,014. (Nomodel.)

To a whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LUIS OORREA, a subject of the King of Spain,residing at LaFelguera, (Oviedo,) Spain, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Furnaces for Reducing Ores, of which thefollowing is a specification.

This invention relates to furnaces for reducing ores, and particularlylead ores; and it consists in the novel construction of the furnace forcarrying out the reduction. furnace, which operates with gas, isespecially adapted for economizing heat.

The construction of the furnace will be described with reference to theaccompanying drawings, wherein an embodiment thereofis illustrated. v

In the drawings, Figure l is a vertical axial section of the furnace insubstantially the plane indicated by the linerin Figs. 2, 4, and 6. Fig.2 is a horizontal section in substantially the plane indicated by theline 00 in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a vertical axial section of the furnace,taken in substantially the plane indicated by the line in Figs. 2, 4,and 6. Fig. 4 is a horizontal section taken substantially in the planeof the line 00 in Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a vertical axial section of thefurnace in substantially the plane of the line m in Figs. 2, 4, and 6.Fig. 6 is a horizontal section in substantially the plane of the line win Fig. 5. Fig. 7 is avertical axialsection of the furnace, taken in theplane indicated by line 09 in Figs. 2, 4, and 6. Fig. Bis a verticalaxial section of the furnace, taken in the plane indicated by the line00 in Figs. 2, 4, and 6. Fig. 9 is a fragmentary plan view of the burnerK and adjacent parts.

The furnace is circular in plan, as herein shown, and sunk part way inthe ground. These features, however, are not absolutely essentialfeatures of the construction. The outer circular Wall Xis surmounted byaconical roof E, at the apex of which is a louver G to admit air. V isthe smelting or reduction chamber or laboratory, which has an archedroof to and a massive bed or hearth O, composed of clay, lime, andcoke-dust mixed and well tamped. This hearth O is formed with a hollowordepression at the center to collect the molten metal, as lead, and fromthis depression a channel leads the lead to a The vertical conduit orwell P, formed in the mass of the hearth O, and from this well the leadflows continuously out to an exteriorly-situated well Q, from which itis taken and cast into ingots orpigs. In the wall of the chamber W, atthe sides, are charging-doors a, and in the front is a door I) for theremoval of the scoria. Over the center of the chamber W is the burner K,the operation of which will be hereinafter described. The fumes from thechamber W pass down through conduits A in the wall X, Fig. 5,to thefume-chamber M, Fig. 6,fron1 whence they flow by a conduit B to thecondensing gallery and chimney. shown.)

(Not I The fume-chamber M is separated from a hot-air chamber N nextabove it, Fig. 4, by an arched roof m, and the hot-air chamber isseparated from the smelting-chamber WV by a strong arched roof or, whichsupports the hearth O.

The air entering the louver G flows down to the hot-airchamberN throughair-lines E, Figs. 3 and 4, formed in the walls, and the heated air fromthis chamber N flows up to the bu rner K by way of a horizontal conduitH, an upright conduit I, and acurved connecting-trunk J, (see plan, Fig.9,) which communicates with the burner K by an inlet. Here the hot airmeets and mingles with gas from a holder or generator, this gas flowingto the burner K by way of a gas-conduit R, a pipe S, and a curvedconnecting-trunk T, Fig. 7, which communicates with the burner K by aninlet.

The hot-air conduit H, Fig. 4, and the fume conduit B, Fig. 6,bothextend into or near to the centers of their respective chambers, so asto receive the gases from the centerof the mass in the chamber.

In the fume conduit or fine B draft-regu:

lating devices 0 and D, Figs. 2, 4, and 8, are provided. These arewell-known devices and will need no special description. The gasconduitR also connects with the flue B near the point where the register D issituated, Fig. 4, and has in it a valve or slide U. The object of thisconstruction is to allow the gas to pass to the chimney instead of tothe furnace under certain conditions. The upright conduit I and theupright gas-conduit S will be provided with cut-offs or dampers of theusual kind. The damper i in the conduit I is seen in Figs. 2 and 7, andthe damper s in the conduit S is seen in Figs. 2 and 3.

To operate the furnace, itis essential to first heat the chamber W. Todo this, the air and gas are admitted to the burner K, which opens intothe top of said chamber, and the mixture of air and gas is then ignited.The flames fill the smelting-chamber and heat it thoroughly. When thechamber W has been thus properly heated, the charge of ore, (as leadore,) fluxing material, and coal is placed therein, the openings closed,and the heatincreased. The mass fuses, the ore is gradually reduced, andthe lead flows by way of the well Pand the connecting-conduit to thewell Q, from which it is dipped or drawn. The scoria floats on themolten mass, and when the lead has been separated and freed from thescoria the latteris removed at the doorb. The furnace is then rechargedas before and the operation repeated. Practically the charges followeach other closely and the operation is substantially continuous.

Having thus described my invention, I claim- 1. A gas-furnace forreducing ores, comprising four superposed chambers, namely, anair-receiving chamber, next below this air-receiving chamber, asmelting-chamber having a hearth, and a burner for gas and air in itsupper part, next below the smelting-chamber, a hot-air chamber,connected by fines with the air-receiving chamber and with said burner,and next below the hot-air chamber a fume-chamber, connected with thesmelting-chamber and with thefumeoutlet, substantially as set forth.

2. A gas-furnace for red ucing the ores on a hearth, comprising asmelting-chamber W, with a heart-h, an air-heating chamber N, nextbelowthe chamber 7, a fume-chamber M, next below the chamber N, andconnecting with the smelting-chamber and the fumeoutlet, and aburner K,open to the upper part of the smelting-chamber, said furnace having alsoan air-space above the smeltingchamber, air-fiues connecting said spacewith the chamber N, and a hot-air pipe I, connecting said chamber N withthe burner K, substantially as set forth.

In witness whereof I have hereunto signed my name, this 18th day ofDecember, 1898, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

LUIS CORREA.

Witnesses:

LEON PEDRO I-IEREREs, .TosE PEDESTRALSEZ.

